CAO Update Issue 8 / Summer Issue
Did you know? The Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) is the independent accountability mechanism for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), members of the World Bank Group. CAO addresses grievances from people impacted by IFC and MIGA projects with the goal of improving environmental and social outcomes on the ground. For more information, see www.cao-ombudsman.org.
CAO Mediation in Mongolia Leads to Agreement Related to Oyu Tolgoi Mine In May 2017, representatives of local herder communities, Oyu Tolgoi LLC, and local government reached agreement on a series of actions to address complaints related to the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in the South Gobi, Mongolia, which is managed by Rio Tinto and supported by IFC and MIGA. The herders and company have been participating in a CAO mediation process since 2013 and have tackled issues together relating to water, resettlement, economic displacement, human and animal health, cultural heritage, and rangeland impacts and management, among others. The process has resulted in a number of outcomes including joint fact-finding by a group of independent experts jointly selected by the parties to assess the impacts of a river diversion and a socio-economic study of herder households; access to grazing land inside the mine license area; tours and inspections of the mine site for herders; interim agreements on topics such as access to information; and the establishment of a “Tri-Partite Council” including herders, local government, and company representatives. While CAO’s mediation process has concluded, CAO is monitoring implementation of agreements and assisting the parties where necessary. Details on the final agreements are available on CAO’s website.
IN THIS ISSUE
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Common Interest Brings Parties Together in Nicaragua
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Herder, company and government representatives (Tri-Partite Council) meet with independent experts, Mongolia (CAO).
Parties from Mongolia speak at IFC 2017 Sustainability Exchange Three members of the Tri-Partite Council shared stories, insights and lessons from their experience in a panel at IFC’s flagship Sustainability Exchange in June in Cartagena, Colombia. This annual conference brings together executives and practitioners from the private and public sectors, as well as NGOs and academia for dialogue on sustainability issues. In a highly interactive plenary
CAO’s Grievance Mechanism Toolkit
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CAO Compliance Work in Honduras
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panel facilitated by CAO, the panelists each shared their stories and distinct perspectives on insights gained from the innovative approaches employed as part of the CAO dispute resolution process. CAO’s local mediator, IFC, and Accountability Counsel, a key NGO advisor to the herders throughout the mediation, also provided their perspectives, and together with the panelists, answered questions from the audience.
CAO Closes Case Related to IFC Investment in Avianca Airlines, Colombia
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CAO Outreach Workshop in Bangkok
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Regional Mediators Workshop in Myanmar